HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF, FACED WITH MAJOR SURGERY,
YOUR DOCTOR GAVE YOU THE OPTION OF RETURNING
HOME THE DAY AFTER SURGERY RATHER THAN THREE
TO FIVE DAYS, WITH SIGNIFICANTLY LESS PAIN, DISCOMFORT AND LOSS OF BLOOD, REDUCED TRAUMA TO YOUR
BODY, SMALLER SUTURES AND SCARRING, AND THE
PROMISE OF A QUICKER RECOVERY TIME AND RETURN
TO YOUR NORMAL ACTIVITIES?

T

HE EXCITING NEWS is Community Memorial
Hospital (CMH) in Ventura has made this possible
for surgery patients. CMH has a reputation for
being “the first on the block” to provide patients with the
newest in medical technologies, according to Paul D.
Silverman, MD, a urologist who, in addition to four other
CMH surgeons and urologists, has employed the newest da
Vinci robotic surgery to perform major operations during
the past four years. The other CMH doctors with da Vinci
proficiency are General Surgeons Constanze S. Rayhrer
and Gosta W. Iwasiuk, and Urologists Cedric Emery and
Marc Beagler.
Silverman says CMH’s distinction for adopting technology exceptionally early dates back several decades, including the purchase of the first CAT scanner, possibly before
UCLA and USC, several firsts in nuclear medicine, and
now they are the first hospital between Los Angeles and
San Francisco to employ da Vinci surgery (long before

UCLA). Largely due to the expense of the equipment as
well as the time and commitment it takes to develop proficiency, CMH is the currently the only hospital in Ventura
County to offer this advantageous surgical technology. The
equipment, a robotic system, carries a $1.2 million price
tag and another quarter million for annual maintenance
and support. CMH’s first da Vinci surgery took place
in November, 2004, one month after the equipment was
purchased and installed.
The liberating advantages of da Vinci extend to CMH
patients even more than its medical staff. In addition to
those already mentioned, da Vinci surgery provides other
benefits to those about to face major operations, including
fewer blood transfusions, less risk of infection and
improved clinical outcomes in many cases.
Although the physicians enjoy the challenge and excitement of being at the forefront of medical technology, they
receive no extra financial compensation for working with

HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF, FACED WITH MAJOR SURGERY,
YOUR DOCTOR GAVE YOU THE OPTION OF RETURNING
HOME THE DAY AFTER SURGERY RATHER THAN THREE
TO FIVE DAYS, WITH SIGNIFICANTLY LESS PAIN, DISCOMFORT AND LOSS OF BLOOD, REDUCED TRAUMA TO YOUR
BODY, SMALLER SUTURES AND SCARRING, AND THE
PROMISE OF A QUICKER RECOVERY TIME AND RETURN
TO YOUR NORMAL ACTIVITIES?

T

HE EXCITING NEWS is Community Memorial
Hospital (CMH) in Ventura has made this possible
for surgery patients. CMH has a reputation for
being “the first on the block” to provide patients with the
newest in medical technologies, according to Paul D.
Silverman, MD, a urologist who, in addition to four other
CMH surgeons and urologists, has employed the newest da
Vinci robotic surgery to perform major operations during
the past four years. The other CMH doctors with da Vinci
proficiency are General Surgeons Constanze S. Rayhrer
and Gosta W. Iwasiuk, and Urologists Cedric Emery and
Marc Beagler.
Silverman says CMH’s distinction for adopting technology exceptionally early dates back several decades, including the purchase of the first CAT scanner, possibly before
UCLA and USC, several firsts in nuclear medicine, and
now they are the first hospital between Los Angeles and
San Francisco to employ da Vinci surgery (long before

UCLA). Largely due to the expense of the equipment as
well as the time and commitment it takes to develop proficiency, CMH is the currently the only hospital in Ventura
County to offer this advantageous surgical technology. The
equipment, a robotic system, carries a $1.2 million price
tag and another quarter million for annual maintenance
and support. CMH’s first da Vinci surgery took place
in November, 2004, one month after the equipment was
purchased and installed.
The liberating advantages of da Vinci extend to CMH
patients even more than its medical staff. In addition to
those already mentioned, da Vinci surgery provides other
benefits to those about to face major operations, including
fewer blood transfusions, less risk of infection and
improved clinical outcomes in many cases.
Although the physicians enjoy the challenge and excitement of being at the forefront of medical technology, they
receive no extra financial compensation for working with

>>

2 | yhcMAGAZINE.COM

APRIL 2009

APRIL 2009

yhcMAGAZINE.COM | 3

special health

bulletin

da Vinci. In fact, they must work harder and longer to train
on the equipment. Their reward comes in the form of surgical patients who are much happier with their surgical
outcomes. The hospital also benefits by being able to treat
more patients in less time, with more successful outcomes.
It’s truly a win-win situation. Silverman confirms that
adoption is consumer-driven and patient-driven.
How da Vinci Works
Dr. Rayhrer, MD, General Surgeon, explains that da Vinci
really is an extension of laparoscopy, used since the early
’90s to perform surgery using a lighted laparoscope inserted through much smaller incisions than those used in traditional surgery. The laparoscope (a camera), which is
inserted through one of the incisions, transmits a twodimensional picture of the organs on a video monitor, and
surgeons perform the operation by inserting surgical
instruments into additional small incisions.
“With laparoscopy,” says Rayhrer, “we lost our depth
perception, but we got used to it after awhile. It made
suturing complicated. The other thing we ‘lost’ was our
wrists. Because laparoscopic instruments are straight, you
can open and close them, but you can’t bend them. It’s like
tying your shoes without using your wrists.”
One way the da Vinci robot has improved upon

laparoscopy is by giving three dimensional images back to
the surgeons. It allows them to see the roundness of things
like the colon, enabling them to trace it better visually.
They can also see blood vessels much earlier than with
laparoscopy, making operations safer. Silverman explains
that da Vinci provides magnification up to 10 to 15 times
the actual size.
Rayhrer says in addition, “the robot’s instruments are
really well-engineered. They have wrists in them; we can do
all the motions with them so easily.” It makes operating
very intuitive, she comments, “just like name of company
that makes it — Intuitive Surgical.”
Dr. Emery, a CMH urologist who performs radical
prostatectomies using da Vinci, agrees, “I can see better,
sew better, preserve nerves better, and all with less
blood loss.”

“One of the core measures when we do colon
cancer is the number of
lymph nodes that can be
removed. With da Vinci,
that number is better —
it’s higher because we can
be so much more precise
due to the magnification
of the operation site.”
Da Vinci, which is totally computerized, consists of three
components: an ergonomic surgeon’s console, a patientside cart with four interactive robotic arms, and a high definition 3-D vision system. Silverman explains, “The surgeon sits 10 to 15 feet away from the operating table in an
armchair and views the operation through a view port.” He
or she uses hands and feet to move the master controllers

to operate the robot’s arms, creating the precisely-controlled micro-movements of the instruments. An assistant
surgeon is positioned at the bedside. The robot is placed
between the patient’s legs and, Silverman says, “da Vinci’s
four arms drape over the patient and are connected to the
ports.” One robot arm controls the camera and the other
three control the 5-millimeter (0.2 inch) instruments
which are inserted into the patient via a hollow tube inserted through each incision which is less than 1 centimeter or
0.4 inches.
The computer provides motion scaling, enabling surgeons to tailor the ratio of their hand movements to the
corresponding movement at the tip of the instrument.
Every movement is controlled by the surgeon, and millions
of safety checks are performed by the processor during the
procedure for enhanced surgical precision and control.
Operations Performed Using da Vinci
The FDA has cleared the da Vinci Surgical System for both
adult and pediatric use in minimally-invasive urologic
surgical procedures, general and gynecologic laparoscopic
surgical procedures, general non-cardiovascular thoracoscopic surgical procedures (those performed using an
endoscope to visually examine the chest cavity) and thoracoscopically-assisted cardiotomy (involving surgical

>>
4 | yhcMAGAZINE.COM

APRIL 2009

APRIL 2009

yhcMAGAZINE.COM | 5

special health

bulletin

da Vinci. In fact, they must work harder and longer to train
on the equipment. Their reward comes in the form of surgical patients who are much happier with their surgical
outcomes. The hospital also benefits by being able to treat
more patients in less time, with more successful outcomes.
It’s truly a win-win situation. Silverman confirms that
adoption is consumer-driven and patient-driven.
How da Vinci Works
Dr. Rayhrer, MD, General Surgeon, explains that da Vinci
really is an extension of laparoscopy, used since the early
’90s to perform surgery using a lighted laparoscope inserted through much smaller incisions than those used in traditional surgery. The laparoscope (a camera), which is
inserted through one of the incisions, transmits a twodimensional picture of the organs on a video monitor, and
surgeons perform the operation by inserting surgical
instruments into additional small incisions.
“With laparoscopy,” says Rayhrer, “we lost our depth
perception, but we got used to it after awhile. It made
suturing complicated. The other thing we ‘lost’ was our
wrists. Because laparoscopic instruments are straight, you
can open and close them, but you can’t bend them. It’s like
tying your shoes without using your wrists.”
One way the da Vinci robot has improved upon

laparoscopy is by giving three dimensional images back to
the surgeons. It allows them to see the roundness of things
like the colon, enabling them to trace it better visually.
They can also see blood vessels much earlier than with
laparoscopy, making operations safer. Silverman explains
that da Vinci provides magnification up to 10 to 15 times
the actual size.
Rayhrer says in addition, “the robot’s instruments are
really well-engineered. They have wrists in them; we can do
all the motions with them so easily.” It makes operating
very intuitive, she comments, “just like name of company
that makes it — Intuitive Surgical.”
Dr. Emery, a CMH urologist who performs radical
prostatectomies using da Vinci, agrees, “I can see better,
sew better, preserve nerves better, and all with less
blood loss.”

“One of the core measures when we do colon
cancer is the number of
lymph nodes that can be
removed. With da Vinci,
that number is better —
it’s higher because we can
be so much more precise
due to the magnification
of the operation site.”
Da Vinci, which is totally computerized, consists of three
components: an ergonomic surgeon’s console, a patientside cart with four interactive robotic arms, and a high definition 3-D vision system. Silverman explains, “The surgeon sits 10 to 15 feet away from the operating table in an
armchair and views the operation through a view port.” He
or she uses hands and feet to move the master controllers

to operate the robot’s arms, creating the precisely-controlled micro-movements of the instruments. An assistant
surgeon is positioned at the bedside. The robot is placed
between the patient’s legs and, Silverman says, “da Vinci’s
four arms drape over the patient and are connected to the
ports.” One robot arm controls the camera and the other
three control the 5-millimeter (0.2 inch) instruments
which are inserted into the patient via a hollow tube inserted through each incision which is less than 1 centimeter or
0.4 inches.
The computer provides motion scaling, enabling surgeons to tailor the ratio of their hand movements to the
corresponding movement at the tip of the instrument.
Every movement is controlled by the surgeon, and millions
of safety checks are performed by the processor during the
procedure for enhanced surgical precision and control.
Operations Performed Using da Vinci
The FDA has cleared the da Vinci Surgical System for both
adult and pediatric use in minimally-invasive urologic
surgical procedures, general and gynecologic laparoscopic
surgical procedures, general non-cardiovascular thoracoscopic surgical procedures (those performed using an
endoscope to visually examine the chest cavity) and thoracoscopically-assisted cardiotomy (involving surgical

>>
4 | yhcMAGAZINE.COM

APRIL 2009

APRIL 2009

yhcMAGAZINE.COM | 5

special health

bulletin

incision of the heart). Da Vinci may also be used with an
auxiliary incision to perform cardiac revascularization
(providing a new, augmented, or restored blood supply to
the heart).
A few of the more recognizable operations currently
being performed by da Vinci surgeons worldwide are radical prostatectomies, hysterectomy, gastric bypass, bowel
resection, thyroid surgery, kidney operations, cardiac
bypass and heart valve repairs.
In the past year, CMH surgeons have performed 65 cases
using the da Vinci Surgical System: 35 prostatectomies
(surgical removal or resection of the prostate gland), 18
colectomies (excision of a portion or all of the colon), nine
Nissens (when the sphincter in the lower esophagus functions improperly, the stomach is wrapped around the lower
end of the esophagus to treat the reflux of gastric contents),
two laparoscopic cholecystectomies (gallbladder removal)
and one hernia operation.
Silverman does quite a few prostatectomies using da
Vinci and explains that patients are able to return home
one or two days after the operation as opposed to three to
five days using traditional surgery. Da Vinci patients have
minimal post operative pain and they are able to drive in
one week as opposed to six weeks for regular surgery.
Potency rates are 50 to 70 percent, sometimes even 80 percent following surgery. Incontinence is experienced only
about 10 percent of the time.
Dr. Emery, Urologist, performs radical prostatectomies
using da Vinci as well as some urethral surgeries, often
together with Dr. Iwasiuk. Emery says, “Patients love it.
The surgery takes two hours. I love it because I can see better to operate. Blood loss is minimal, if any, and I can see
the nerves better, which is very critical to this operation.
The surgery is extremely difficult and delicate and we need
clear margins [making sure adequate tissue has been
removed] in order to cure the cancer.” He explains that da
Vinci surgery came into its prime doing prostate surgery.
The system is ideal because the camera can stay fixed during the entire case. He believes da Vinci improves the
potency rate following these operations and has seen
patients regain potency within one month following surgery. The operation can take two hours, which is very
quick, and the patients feel very comfortable.
Emery provides an informed testimonial for da Vinci. He
says, “If I had to have my prostate removed, there’s no
doubt I would have it done with the da Vinci.” Given five

6 | yhcMAGAZINE.COM

APRIL 2009

Dr. Rayhrer explains, “We use da Vinci on almost all
colon cancers; our default now is to use it. Most colon
operations involve cancers or problems with diverticular
disease [involving an abnormal pouch or sac opening from
the colon]. But we use it for a broad range of procedures …
basically almost every laparoscopy. The results are better
and faster than with traditional surgery.”
Rayhrer says, “Through colon cancer we learned with
experience that the less frequently patients are exposed to
an immunologic event, the better they do. With da Vinci,
the immune system is not impacted as much. It makes a
real difference.” With traditional colon cancer, it usually
takes five to six days for patients to return home and they
can’t eat much more than Jello for three days. With da
Vinci surgery, they go home the second day following surgery — walking. Rayhrer has also used da Vinci to correct
acid reflux, remove stomach cancer, for gall bladder and
spleen removal, and to remove tumors on adrenal glands.
Any situation which would exclude using minimallyinvasive instruments and surgical procedures would also
rule out using the da Vinci robot. These might include factors such as bleeding disorders, a history of prior surgery,
pregnancy and serious cardio-pulmonary conditions.

options for different procedures, this is the surgery he
would choose.
Dr. Iwasiuk, MD, a general surgeon at CMH, has performed many successful operations using da Vinci including colon sections for cancer, Nissens, the Heller myotomy
where the muscles of the lower esophageal sphincter are
cut to enable food and liquids to pass to the stomach, stomach surgeries, splenectomies (surgical removal of the
spleen), and colostomy closures. He explains, “One of the
core measures when we do colon cancer is the number of
lymph nodes that can be removed. With da Vinci, that
number is better — it’s higher because we can be so much
more precise due to the magnification of the operation
site.” He also explains that exploratory surgeries are not
performed with da Vinci. “With today’s sophisticated CAT
and MRI scans,” he says, “most of the time we know what
we are going to find ahead of time.”

How da Vinci was Developed
Da Vinci is aptly named after Leonardo da Vinci who,
among many other accomplishments, invented the first
robot. He is also known for developing painting techniques
using precise anatomical accuracy and three-dimensional
details to bring his masterpieces to life.
Dr. Iwasiuk says that the da Vinci robot was first developed and promoted by the Pentagon for military use in the
1980s. He explains, “It’s been known for a long time the
sooner you get to the injured patient in the field the more
likely he is to survive.” Da Vinci would enable the soldier to
be in an ambulance, having been rescued from the field but
not moved too far. “The surgeon in the back lines could
take care of the problem remotely.”
After 20 years of development by the former Stanford
Research Institute, the military didn’t quite achieve its goal.
Although they are still pursuing this goal through a different avenue, the original surgical system was too bulky for
field use and operating the system was dependent on too
many people for use in battle. “But,” says Iwasiuk, “the
technology was sold to Computer Motion in Santa Barbara
that had developed a series of surgical robots including

AESOP and Zeus.” AESOP was a voice-controlled robotic
arm and Zeus was the first robotic surgical system that performed the world’s first transatlantic surgery. Computer
Motion merged with Intuitive Surgical in 2003, which is
continuing to develop da Vinci today.
The Future of da Vinci Surgery
Intuitive Surgical's goal is to broadly extend the benefits of
minimally-invasive surgery. They are exploring telesurgery
to facilitate surgeon-to-surgeon proctoring and coaching.
This will enable surgeons to become proficient in da Vinci
surgery by studying with leading specialists, smoothing out
the learning curve and reducing disruption to their schedules. Intuitive Surgical will also develop additional
products and technologies to expand the use of da Vinci.
Iwasiuk explains, “We are looking forward to da Vinci
getting even more precise to allow work on smaller areas.
This will enable us to do more complex procedures with
kidneys, ureters and bladders … every type of operation
will become more precise.” He recently performed a more
complex operation to separate a patient’s colon and
bladder that had been abnormally connected with a fistula.
More operations of this nature will be possible in
the future.
In addition, says Iwasiuk, “A technology called NOTES
[normal orifice trans endoscopic surgery] is currently in
development. The idea is for us to be able to perform operations without using visible incisions — to enter instead
through incisions made in the colon, vagina, or another
orifice located near the site of operation.” NOTES is
currently being tested with animals and in some countries
it is being performed on human patients.
For now, the da Vinci Surgical System is a technology
breakthrough that has revolutionized the way surgeons
operate, improving significantly on laparoscopic surgery
and helping to relieve some of the patients’ fear of surgery
with its promise of less pain, fewer scars, and faster recovery. CMH is performing some operations locally that are
unique to the capabilities they’ve developed during the past
four years. Perhaps Rayhrer sums it up for the patients best,
“People go to work faster — they feel better.
The most amazing part of the robotics is watching the
patients get better faster. That’s the part I won’t get
used to!”
For more information, call 805.585.3084 or visit
www.cmhshealth.org/robotic.

APRIL 2009

yhcMAGAZINE.COM | 7

special health

bulletin

incision of the heart). Da Vinci may also be used with an
auxiliary incision to perform cardiac revascularization
(providing a new, augmented, or restored blood supply to
the heart).
A few of the more recognizable operations currently
being performed by da Vinci surgeons worldwide are radical prostatectomies, hysterectomy, gastric bypass, bowel
resection, thyroid surgery, kidney operations, cardiac
bypass and heart valve repairs.
In the past year, CMH surgeons have performed 65 cases
using the da Vinci Surgical System: 35 prostatectomies
(surgical removal or resection of the prostate gland), 18
colectomies (excision of a portion or all of the colon), nine
Nissens (when the sphincter in the lower esophagus functions improperly, the stomach is wrapped around the lower
end of the esophagus to treat the reflux of gastric contents),
two laparoscopic cholecystectomies (gallbladder removal)
and one hernia operation.
Silverman does quite a few prostatectomies using da
Vinci and explains that patients are able to return home
one or two days after the operation as opposed to three to
five days using traditional surgery. Da Vinci patients have
minimal post operative pain and they are able to drive in
one week as opposed to six weeks for regular surgery.
Potency rates are 50 to 70 percent, sometimes even 80 percent following surgery. Incontinence is experienced only
about 10 percent of the time.
Dr. Emery, Urologist, performs radical prostatectomies
using da Vinci as well as some urethral surgeries, often
together with Dr. Iwasiuk. Emery says, “Patients love it.
The surgery takes two hours. I love it because I can see better to operate. Blood loss is minimal, if any, and I can see
the nerves better, which is very critical to this operation.
The surgery is extremely difficult and delicate and we need
clear margins [making sure adequate tissue has been
removed] in order to cure the cancer.” He explains that da
Vinci surgery came into its prime doing prostate surgery.
The system is ideal because the camera can stay fixed during the entire case. He believes da Vinci improves the
potency rate following these operations and has seen
patients regain potency within one month following surgery. The operation can take two hours, which is very
quick, and the patients feel very comfortable.
Emery provides an informed testimonial for da Vinci. He
says, “If I had to have my prostate removed, there’s no
doubt I would have it done with the da Vinci.” Given five

6 | yhcMAGAZINE.COM

APRIL 2009

Dr. Rayhrer explains, “We use da Vinci on almost all
colon cancers; our default now is to use it. Most colon
operations involve cancers or problems with diverticular
disease [involving an abnormal pouch or sac opening from
the colon]. But we use it for a broad range of procedures …
basically almost every laparoscopy. The results are better
and faster than with traditional surgery.”
Rayhrer says, “Through colon cancer we learned with
experience that the less frequently patients are exposed to
an immunologic event, the better they do. With da Vinci,
the immune system is not impacted as much. It makes a
real difference.” With traditional colon cancer, it usually
takes five to six days for patients to return home and they
can’t eat much more than Jello for three days. With da
Vinci surgery, they go home the second day following surgery — walking. Rayhrer has also used da Vinci to correct
acid reflux, remove stomach cancer, for gall bladder and
spleen removal, and to remove tumors on adrenal glands.
Any situation which would exclude using minimallyinvasive instruments and surgical procedures would also
rule out using the da Vinci robot. These might include factors such as bleeding disorders, a history of prior surgery,
pregnancy and serious cardio-pulmonary conditions.

options for different procedures, this is the surgery he
would choose.
Dr. Iwasiuk, MD, a general surgeon at CMH, has performed many successful operations using da Vinci including colon sections for cancer, Nissens, the Heller myotomy
where the muscles of the lower esophageal sphincter are
cut to enable food and liquids to pass to the stomach, stomach surgeries, splenectomies (surgical removal of the
spleen), and colostomy closures. He explains, “One of the
core measures when we do colon cancer is the number of
lymph nodes that can be removed. With da Vinci, that
number is better — it’s higher because we can be so much
more precise due to the magnification of the operation
site.” He also explains that exploratory surgeries are not
performed with da Vinci. “With today’s sophisticated CAT
and MRI scans,” he says, “most of the time we know what
we are going to find ahead of time.”

How da Vinci was Developed
Da Vinci is aptly named after Leonardo da Vinci who,
among many other accomplishments, invented the first
robot. He is also known for developing painting techniques
using precise anatomical accuracy and three-dimensional
details to bring his masterpieces to life.
Dr. Iwasiuk says that the da Vinci robot was first developed and promoted by the Pentagon for military use in the
1980s. He explains, “It’s been known for a long time the
sooner you get to the injured patient in the field the more
likely he is to survive.” Da Vinci would enable the soldier to
be in an ambulance, having been rescued from the field but
not moved too far. “The surgeon in the back lines could
take care of the problem remotely.”
After 20 years of development by the former Stanford
Research Institute, the military didn’t quite achieve its goal.
Although they are still pursuing this goal through a different avenue, the original surgical system was too bulky for
field use and operating the system was dependent on too
many people for use in battle. “But,” says Iwasiuk, “the
technology was sold to Computer Motion in Santa Barbara
that had developed a series of surgical robots including

AESOP and Zeus.” AESOP was a voice-controlled robotic
arm and Zeus was the first robotic surgical system that performed the world’s first transatlantic surgery. Computer
Motion merged with Intuitive Surgical in 2003, which is
continuing to develop da Vinci today.
The Future of da Vinci Surgery
Intuitive Surgical's goal is to broadly extend the benefits of
minimally-invasive surgery. They are exploring telesurgery
to facilitate surgeon-to-surgeon proctoring and coaching.
This will enable surgeons to become proficient in da Vinci
surgery by studying with leading specialists, smoothing out
the learning curve and reducing disruption to their schedules. Intuitive Surgical will also develop additional
products and technologies to expand the use of da Vinci.
Iwasiuk explains, “We are looking forward to da Vinci
getting even more precise to allow work on smaller areas.
This will enable us to do more complex procedures with
kidneys, ureters and bladders … every type of operation
will become more precise.” He recently performed a more
complex operation to separate a patient’s colon and
bladder that had been abnormally connected with a fistula.
More operations of this nature will be possible in
the future.
In addition, says Iwasiuk, “A technology called NOTES
[normal orifice trans endoscopic surgery] is currently in
development. The idea is for us to be able to perform operations without using visible incisions — to enter instead
through incisions made in the colon, vagina, or another
orifice located near the site of operation.” NOTES is
currently being tested with animals and in some countries
it is being performed on human patients.
For now, the da Vinci Surgical System is a technology
breakthrough that has revolutionized the way surgeons
operate, improving significantly on laparoscopic surgery
and helping to relieve some of the patients’ fear of surgery
with its promise of less pain, fewer scars, and faster recovery. CMH is performing some operations locally that are
unique to the capabilities they’ve developed during the past
four years. Perhaps Rayhrer sums it up for the patients best,
“People go to work faster — they feel better.
The most amazing part of the robotics is watching the
patients get better faster. That’s the part I won’t get
used to!”
For more information, call 805.585.3084 or visit
www.cmhshealth.org/robotic.